Annals of Saudi medicine
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Mar 2005
Comparative StudyProtocol-driven vs. physician-driven electrolyte replacement in adult critically ill patients.
The intensive care unit is a dynamic environment, where high numbers of patients cared for by health care workers of different experiences and backgrounds might result in great variability in patient care. Protocol-driven interventions may facilitate timely and uniform care of common problems, like electrolyte disturbances. We prospectively compared protocol-driven (PRD) vs. physician-driven (PHD) electrolyte replacement in adult critically ill patients. ⋯ This study shows that a protocol-driven replacement strategy for potassium, magnesium and phosphate is more efficient and as safe as a physician-driven replacement strategy.
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Mar 2005
Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes/serogroups causing invasive disease in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: extent of coverage by pneumococcal vaccines.
Serogroup distribution of sterile site pneumococcal isolates varies between developing and developed countries as well as between different geographical regions. The potential efficacy of any pneumococcal vaccine depends on the degree of representation of the prevalent serogroups in the vaccine. We conducted this study to determine the prevalent pneumococcal serogroups causing invasive infections in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and to estimate the coverage by the various pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. ⋯ The currently available 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine provides sub-optimal coverage to serogroups causing invasive diseases in our community. However, this vaccine would be a useful adjunct to penicillin prophylaxis in at-risk patients in the community. The effectiveness of the vaccine would be greater if serotype 15 could be included.